The Flathead County commissioners on Thursday unanimously approved new zoning in Evergreen that could diversify business uses along Evergreen’s highway corridors.

The Evergreen Chamber of Commerce was the driving force behind a publicly initiated zone change to create an interim enterprise overlay zone in Evergreen. The change will allow a variety of light industrial uses in addition to the commercial business zones along U.S. 2 and Montana 35.

“This is an opportunity for Evergreen to pull their weight and do their share,” Evergreen Chamber Economic Development Committee Chairman TJ Wendt said during a public hearing Tuesday on the zone change. “We have an opportunity to help the county attract jobs.”

The existing business zones, geared toward retail sales, were put in place about 25 years ago, but business leaders wondered if the zoning was hindering the Evergreen community from transitioning to a broader economic base.

The ability to recruit a wider variety of businesses to fill vacant commercial properties is at the heart of the enterprise overlay zone.

The new zone, effective Jan. 1, will allow light assembly and manufacturing, fabrication and processing, storage facilities, warehousing and distribution of products and equipment provided those uses don’t have objectionable impacts beyond the lot lines and don’t involve hazardous or explosive materials.

The enterprise zone will be in place for two years as interim zoning. Vacancies and land uses have been inventoried and will be reviewed again during the two-year interim period to measure the impact. If the new zoning has no effect or negatively impacts the community, it would expire.

“The interim concept is so valid and wise,” Evergreen Chamber President BJ Lupton said. “I see tremendous possibilities in invigorating the Evergreen corridor. ... I see this as a win, win, win, win, win and no risk.”

The overlay zone includes both sides of U.S. 2 from the Kalispell city limits north to Rose Crossing and along Montana 35 to the intersection with Helena Flats Road.

Commissioner Gary Krueger thanked the planning staff and Evergreen community for their work on the project.

“I think it’s a very good thing for the entire Flathead Valley and would ask that anybody else that has ideas to help economic development in our community, that they come forward and work with [Planning Director BJ Grieve] and we’ll try to do something for every part of this valley,” Krueger said.